An Earlier Meeting
by whilewewereyetsinners
Summary: How will events be impacted when, shortly after the death of their father, Darcy and Georgiana meet Elizabeth Bennet in London?
1. September 1806

**An Earlier Meeting**

_September 1806_

Fitzwilliam Darcy stood by the window in the blue drawing room at Pemberley, staring out at the rain. It had been raining for nigh on a week, ever since the day of his father's funeral. It seemed fitting in a way that the sky was weeping, for he could not. He had thought he would, sometimes even wished that he could, but he felt as though he had been frozen inside, that all his tears were in an icy lump behind his eyes, lodged there making his head hurt. And his heart.

At least all the relatives were finally gone. Some had hovered solicitously around him, some had watched him furtively for any signs of an impending emotional outburst, some had been overly cheerful, some too dour. He knew that they had meant well, most of them anyway, but he had desired nothing more than to be left alone. What a feeling of relief when he watched the last carriage drive away!

Almost the last carriage. Georgiana was to leave today, to return to boarding school. Their father had sent her away to school when he realized that he was dying. He hadn't wanted her exposed to the trauma of any deathbed scenes. Fitzwilliam had disagreed with his father's decision, though he had voiced it very little. Georgiana was so shy with anyone outside their family circle. It seemed to him that being sent away from home to the unkindness of a school environment where she knew no one was likely to cause her worse misery than being in the same house with her dying father. As it happened, their father underestimated the swiftness with which death would take him. Georgiana had been at school for just two weeks when Fitzwilliam had to send for her. Their father was dead.

"Fitzwilliam?"

He turned to see Georgiana in the doorway, dressed from head to toe in black, her eyes too large in her small face and her hands gripped tightly together.

She took a steadying breath. "I am ready to leave now." Despite her efforts her voice quavered, and his chest hurt. What was he doing, sending her away again? If he had not thought it best for her to be sent to school less than a month earlier, why was now any better?

"Georgie, come sit with me for a moment." His mind was working rapidly. Everyone in the family expected her to return to school today, but he cared little for their opinions. His only concern was what Lieutenant-Colonel Fitzwilliam, the cousin with whom he shared her guardianship, would think-but certainly he would agree that Georgiana's well-being was more important than anything else. And truthfully, he didn't want her to leave. It was too soon. She might be a mere child, but she was all he had left.

She approached him so reluctantly that for a moment he wondered if he was wrong and she did want to leave.

"Tell me, what do you think of your school?" God forgive him, he had not paid enough attention to her upon her return, but there had been so much to attend to with the funeral and the solicitors and so many other things, and she had been surrounded by their aunts and female cousins. He should have spent more time with her.

She stared at her tightly clasped hands and shrugged.

"Do you like it there?"

Another shrug.

"Answer me please, Georgiana."

"I know that I must go there. I suppose it is no worse than any other school. It is just that all the girls there already know each other and I don't know anyone. I would much rather be at home." She looked up at him suddenly. "I am not complaining! I know that I must go, that it is my duty to go, and I do want you to be happy. I hope you will be very happy."

"Georgie, I don't understand you. Why do you think it your duty to go away and why should it make me happy?"

"I told Lady Catherine I did not want to go back to school and she said that it is my duty to go there and not complain to you. She said that you are to marry Cousin Anne soon and you will not want to have me underfoot; that I must let your wife settle in in peace. She said that she would have me at Rosings for my holidays, but please can I come home to Pemberley, Fitzwilliam? I promise I will be no bother. Or perhaps I could go somewhere else?" She looked down at her hands. "I…I really do not wish to go stay with her."

He insanely wished that Lady Catherine had not already left so he could have the pleasure of throwing her from his house. "First of all," he bit out, "I am not marrying Anne, not now, not ever. Secondly, you are never a bother and Pemberley is your home—you are always welcome here regardless of my marital status. Finally," his voice was rising, "never listen to anything that woman says. You are to smile and nod, not actually listen to her, do you understand?"

His sister nodded, wide-eyed, then asked timidly, "Are you angry at me?"

"I am very angry, yes, but not with you." He paused, forcibly calming himself. "Listen, Georgie, you don't have to go back to school now if you do not wish to. There's no law that says a ten year old girl must go to school."

"I'm almost eleven!" She eyed him indignantly.

"There's no law that says an eleven year old must either!" he retorted, amused. "You must go eventually, but it will keep for a year or two. I don't think we need to be adding more unhappy things to our lives right now, do you?" He stared at his sister in alarm as she slumped back on the sofa, huge tears sliding down her face. "What? What is it?"

"I'm just, I'm so happy," she sobbed. "I thought you didn't want me here anymore, and I would miss it so, and I miss Papa, and I would miss you!" She surprised him by throwing her arms around him.

He patted her back a little awkwardly, then drew back and kissed her forehead. "Georgie, what do you say to taking a little trip somewhere?" he asked suddenly. The idea had just come to him, but the more he thought about it, the more he liked it. As much as they loved Pemberley, it would do them good to be away for a time.

She stared at him in silence for a moment, then asked timidly, "To where?"

"Where would you like to go? You may choose."

"Really?" she breathed. "Above all things, I would like to go to London."

"London! But why? Would you not like to go somewhere new?"

"It _is_ new to me—I have not been there since Mama died, and I was so little then that I was not able to do anything, or see anything. I would love to see the menagerie at the Tower, and the palaces and, oh, everything!"

She looked so enthusiastic that he bit back his wish that she would choose somewhere else—he was weary of London—and said, "Very well, then. I will send word for the London house to be opened and that we will arrive in a week's time. I will need several days here before we can leave. In the meantime, I am certain there is a London guidebook in the library—look through it and make a list of the places you would especially like to see, and we shall endeavor to view them all."


	2. October 1806

_October 1806_

Georgiana's list was a lengthy one indeed. A fortnight's residence in London had not been sufficient to accomplish it. Today's outing was to Hyde Park, where she wished to walk by the Serpentine. As they descended from their carriage, Fitzwilliam was loudly greeted and detained in conversation by several acquaintances. She edged away a little since their boisterousness made her nervous, then edged away further when one of them seemed to obliquely congratulate Fitzwilliam on their father's death and his inheritance. When the muscle in her brother's jaw began twitching in a way that told her he was sorely running out of patience, she began to look about rather desperately for something else to look at. She spied the sweetest little rabbit not five feet away, which stared back at her with its big eyes for a moment. She dimly heard Fitzwilliam, icily civil, verbally dismembering his opponent as she began to follow the rabbit into the brush.

Georgiana followed the rabbit for some time and quite enjoyed herself until she realized that she could no longer hear her brother's voice, or _anyone's_ voice. She soon found that she could not remember which way she had come, and her attempts to find her way back failed. Truly frightened, she began to run.

Blinded as she was by her tears, it was perhaps not surprising that she should run into something, or someone. Still, the impact took her by surprise and she fell backwards onto the ground. She sat, stunned, and flinched when the person she ran into began to laugh.

"Goodness! Well, that was a surprise! No, don't cry—are you hurt? Here, let me help you up." The young lady helped Georgiana to her feet. "Whatever is the matter? Are you sure you are not injured? Where are your companions?"

Georgiana stammered an explanation.

"Well, I am certain your brother is looking for you, so the best thing for you to do is stay put. The two of you may follow each other around in circles otherwise. As that is the case, would you care to meet the sweetest baby that ever lived?" She laughed at Georgiana's bewildered expression. "My sister Jane and I are in London to assist our aunt—she presented my uncle with his first son just six weeks ago, and we are here with the baby, the nursemaid, our two other young cousins, a maid, and an astonishing amount of supplies. One would think we were going to take up permanent residence in the park rather than pass a mere two hours here! We are stationed on two benches a very short distance away, and quite in the open—your brother should have no difficulty finding us there. So, would you care to meet my young cousin?" She leaned forward conspiratorially, her eyes dancing. "He truly is a very sweet baby."

"But what if Fitzwilliam doesn't find me?"

"Then we shall leave you with some of our plentiful provisions and you can settle in here. No, no, I am teasing you! We would never dream of abandoning you. If your brother does not find you, then we will return you to your home." The young lady laid a hand on Georgiana's shoulder and said kindly, "Everything will be all right. You'll see."

"Well, I would like to see the baby—I've never really been around one, all my cousins are older than I, as is Fitzwilliam, of course."

"I am relieved to hear that the brother in search of you is not your younger brother."

Georgiana giggled. "No, he is older, much older, actually, but he is so good and kind to me. I cannot imagine a better brother."

"You will make me envious—I have no brothers, only four sisters."

"I always thought it would be lovely to have a sister."

"It can be—dear Jane certainly is a better sister to me than I deserve," she laughed.

"Oh, surely not!"

"Well, you shall see shortly when you meet her—my sweet sister, and the world's sweetest baby, then when your brother arrives the world's best brother as well! How shall we bear it, being near such perfection?"

Georgiana laughed out loud, then stopped walking and said anxiously, "I am very sorry to have run into you, but I am not sorry to have met you—is that wrong of me?"

"Certainly not! I did not mind you running into me in the slightest, and I am happy to have met you as well, Miss…"

"Oh! I'm sorry! I am Georgiana Darcy."

The young lady curtsied. "I am delighted to make your acquaintance, Miss Darcy. I am Elizabeth Bennet."

* * *

_Meanwhile, in a different part of the park..._

Fitzwilliam had not been overly concerned when, after returning to his normally composed state, he realized that Georgiana was not with him. He had been so angry, no wonder she had moved away. He knew how deeply she feared confrontations; he should not have indulged in unleashing his temper, no matter how much the cad deserved it. Surely she was just beyond the trees…

But she wasn't. He tramped around for some time looking for any trace of her and finding none, his concern giving way to a rising swell of fear that was beginning to border on terror. He knew full well the dangers that existed in this city for an unaccompanied well-dressed child, or for any pretty young girl that was unprotected. He swallowed the bile that rose into his throat and tried to push the thoughts away. He had to find her!

He was not even sure where he was, or if he was going around in circles. Finally, he saw several trees with twigs snapped off, and, trying not to think about what could have caused it, he followed the trail of damage. He could hear laughter. People! Maybe they had seen something!

He burst out from among the trees and skidded to a halt, shocked to see Georgiana sitting on a bench between two unknown young ladies, and with, of all things, a baby in her arms.

"Fitzwilliam!"

One of the ladies hastily took the baby as Georgiana jumped up and ran to him. He caught her up in his arms and buried his face in her hair.

"Georgie, thank God you are safe," he breathed.

Thinking of his terror made him angry. He set her down and placed his hands on her shoulders, realizing that he was trembling. He fought the urge to shake her.

"What exactly were you thinking, Georgiana? And don't you shrug at me!"

She stopped herself mid-shrug. "I didn't mean to get lost, Fitzwilliam, but I followed the rabbit and then I didn't know where I was. I looked and looked but I couldn't find you. Then Miss Elizabeth found me and offered to wait with me, and, oh! You have to meet the baby! "

He stared at her in astonishment as she grabbed his hand and dragged him across the pathway to the bench.

"This is Edward." She took him from the older of the two young ladies, settling him carefully into her arms. The baby stared unblinkingly up at her. "Is he not perfect? Is he not the most beautiful baby you have ever seen? Miss Elizabeth says he is the sweetest baby that ever lived; do you not agree?"

He cleared his throat, wondering where in the woods his sister had left her timidity. "I am sure that you and, uh, Miss Elizabeth, are correct." He waited for her to remember her manners, but gave up when she began talking nonsense to the baby. "And Miss Elizabeth is…"

"Oh!" Georgiana blushed furiously. "Miss Bennet and Miss Elizabeth, this is my brother, Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy. Fitzwilliam, this is Miss Jane and Miss Elizabeth Bennet."

He bowed to their curtsies, frowning slightly as he wondered to which of the _Miss_ Bennets the baby belonged and how quickly he could get his sister away. He rose from his bow and blinked as he looked into the laughing eyes of Miss Elizabeth.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Darcy. Your sister has been so anxious about you, but has been such a good company for us and our young cousins." Her face and words were blandly polite, but her eyes danced, and for the first time he noticed the two small girls playing on the grass behind the bench with two women who were obviously servants.

He flushed, irritated that she knew what he had been thinking. "I, uh…" Georgiana had gone to sit on the other bench after making the introductions, apparently so she could coo at the baby without interruption, and he sent a glare her way. "Judging by her present behavior, I am surprised to hear that she was good company for anyone besides young Master Edward."

Miss Elizabeth laughed, but Miss Bennet apparently thought he was upset, saying soothingly, "Truly, Miss Darcy has been very good company for us. She is a sweet girl, and very well-behaved."

He felt himself relax a little. "I am glad to hear it. She is a good girl." He stopped, not knowing what else to say, and was relieved when Miss Elizabeth began speaking of something else. She carried the burden of the conversation for a time, although she was careful to include everyone in it, even occasionally the servants. He watched in amusement as she teased Georgiana off the bench and into their company, and found himself taking greater part in the conversation than he could ever remember doing amongst strangers. He was actually sorry when Miss Bennet quietly informed her sister of the time and that they were expected back.

In the ensuing hubbub of packing, while the little girls fussed that they didn't _want_ to leave and Georgiana made her farewells to the infant, Miss Elizabeth approached him.

"Mr. Darcy." She paused, looking almost apprehensive, and he unconsciously leaned towards her. "I cannot let you leave without issuing our condolences."

He knew not what expression was on his face, but it must have been forbidding for she looked away and hurried on, "Your sister informed us of your father's death, and we have of course made our condolences to her, but we wanted to make them to you as well."

He said quietly, "Thank you, Miss Elizabeth. You and your sister are very kind."

She gave a short laugh. "No, not really. Well, Jane is, of course. But I think about my own father and, well, I am truly very sorry."

She looked at him then, and there were tears in her eyes. He was surprised to feel his own sting, and looked away.

She laughed again, but there was no humor in it, and said with false brightness, "As I said, I am not kind. And now I see that we are ready to depart! I am sorry to…"

Fitzwilliam could not allow her to go on. "Miss Elizabeth! I thank you, mostly sincerely, for your kindness and compassion."

"I have been selfish, not kind; I was thinking only of myself, and then I imposed upon you." She looked at him in exasperation.

"There is no selfishness in empathy, Miss Elizabeth," he said firmly. "You have not imposed upon me."

She silently studied him for several moments, until he began to feel uncomfortable, then said quietly, "Very well, sir. You are the kind one, I think. I shall make my farewells to your sister."

He watched her speaking affectionately to Georgiana. He had never met anyone so…. He shook off his thoughts and went to say goodbye to Miss Bennet, then told his sister it was high time they went on their walk.

"Oh, but Fitzwilliam, I was wondering…" She trailed off and he looked at her encouragingly. "Might I correspond with Miss Elizabeth?"

That young lady cast an uncomfortable glance at him and began to demur, but he interrupted her. "That would be fine, Georgiana, as long as Miss Elizabeth has no objection." He looked calmly into her uncertain gaze, and finally she smiled and turned her attention to his sister.

Georgiana was so delighted with her new friend's acquiescence that he had difficulty in drawing her away. Only after reminding her that the Misses Bennets' party was expected home did she finally leave with him, though she was still fairly quivering with excitement. He observed her with some amusement.

"Oh! They were so kind, and Miss Elizabeth is so charming!"

_Indeed she is_, he thought.

"She was so kind to me when I ran into her, and so amusing, I quite forgot how upset I was."

_Intelligent and witty, yet her wit was so refreshingly free of artifice or malice_.

"I have never met anyone like her!"

_Nor I_.

"I am so pleased that she agreed to correspond with me!"

"Too young," he muttered.

"Fitzwilliam?" Georgiana was eyeing him oddly. "Do you really think I am too young to correspond with Miss Elizabeth?"

"Uh, no, of course not, Georgie." He cleared his throat, and then squeezed her shoulder affectionately. "Especially since you keep insisting on getting older."

She wrinkled her nose at him while taking his offered arm. After a few moments she said thoughtfully, "You know, even if she does not write, I will not be sorry for having met her. I do not think I will ever forget her."

_Nor I_, he thought.


	3. The Intervening Years

_The Intervening Years  
_

As it happened, Fitzwilliam would have been unable to forget her even if he had wished to. Miss Elizabeth proved to be a faithful correspondent, and many was the time that Fitzwilliam followed the sound of Georgie's laughter only to find her reading a letter from her. The two girls were soon on a first name basis, and every letter would start a new round of "Elizabeth says…" "Elizabeth thinks…" "I wonder what Elizabeth would say about…" It was evident that Georgie's new friend had a tremendous influence over her, and he was relieved to find that what Miss Elizabeth said and thought confirmed his impression of her character. He need not regret allowing the correspondence.

Over the years it became clear that far from regretting it, he should be extremely thankful for it. He watched with pleasure as Georgiana matured into a composed, self-confident young lady, dealing calmly with everyone from Lady Catherine to the lowliest tenant. He was certain that were she so unfortunate as to meet with the Prince Regent himself, she would speak to him with that same quiet calmness. While she would never be out-going, she had lost a great deal of her shyness. He knew that he could not be solely credited with her metamorphosis, but that much of it was due to the advice and guidance she received in her letters from Miss Elizabeth.

He had never been more grateful for allowing the correspondence than the July day he received a letter from his sister, who had been staying in Ramsgate, detailing her encounters there with George Wickham. She had prefaced her explanation with the statement that Elizabeth had told her that she must write to him and tell him all. She concluded by telling him that Elizabeth had assured her that an honorable man would approach her brother for permission regardless of the circumstances, and that she should take care, for neither Mr. Wickham nor Mrs. Younge were to be trusted.

Fitzwilliam thought very highly of Miss Elizabeth, indeed.

In October he was still thinking of her. He thought that it would be pleasant to see her again, so he could tell her how much he appreciated her advice to his sister. Perhaps Georgie could invite her to Pemberley for a visit. He wondered, why had they never invited her before?

He was pondering the idea as he followed Bingley into the Meryton assembly, trying to tune out Miss Bingley's incessant droning. Really, how could a chap like Bingley have such a sister? A pity she had not had an Elizabeth to correspond with while she grew up.

Fitzwilliam hid a smirk at the idea, and looked up straight into the surprised eyes of Elizabeth Bennet. Stunned, he just stared at her, then realized that they were being introduced. He dimly heard Mrs. Bennet speaking. By the time Bingley had finished asking the young ladies to dance he had gathered his wits.

"Miss Bennet and Miss Elizabeth, it is a very great pleasure to see you again." While the ladies curtsied and murmured politely, he realized he was smiling. Then he realized he could not stop. He decided not to care. "Miss Elizabeth, if you are not otherwise engaged, would you dance the next with me?"

She smiled brilliantly at him and ignored her sister's poorly-veiled amusement, Bingley's confusion, and her mother's slack-jawed stare. "Mr. Darcy, I would be delighted."


	4. 21 October 1811

**A/N: Thank you to all of you who have reviewed, followed, and added this story to your favorites and communities! I have been completely overwhelmed by the response to this. I'm trying to reply to all the reviews- if I haven't gotten to yours yet, I will. Sorry for the lack of an author's note in the previous chapter- it vanished but I think I figured out what I did wrong. There will be two or possibly three more chapters to this- it's all plotted out but only partially written. I expect to be finished posting within the next couple of weeks. Many thanks are also due to Jane Austen, some of whose words I unashamedly lifted and twisted, and also for creating such lovely characters. :) Now, without further ado:  
**

* * *

**_21 October 1811_**

Mr. Bennet sat snugly before the fire, enjoying the stillness of the house as much as the warmth of the flames. It was not often that the house was so peaceful that he could hear even the turning of the pages in his book. Normally on such an evening he would go to bed before the expected return of his family, so as to preserve the feeling for himself as long as possible. On the present occasion, however, he had a good deal of curiosity as to the proceedings of an evening which had raised such splendid expectations. His wife's assurance that Mr. Bingley was likely to marry one of their daughters had so entertained him that he was almost looking forward to having his peace disrupted with their return. He rather hoped that all of his wife's views on their new neighbor would be disappointed; but he soon found he had a very different story to hear.

"Oh! My dear Mr. Bennet," she exclaimed as she entered the room, "we have had a most delightful evening, a most excellent ball. I wish you had been there. Jane was so admired, nothing could be like it. Everybody said how well she looked; and Mr. Bingley thought her quite beautiful, and danced with her twice. Only think of _that_ my dear, he actually danced with her twice, and she was the only creature in the room that he asked a second time. And Mr. Darcy! He danced with dear Jane as well, and _twice_ with Lizzy, although I don't see why she deserved it, after not telling her _own mother_ that she's been corresponding with the sister of such a wealthy gentleman all these years; since she was fifteen, Mr. Bennet! Fifteen! All this time, wasted!"

He blinked.

Wearily, as though repeating something oft said, Elizabeth stated, "Mama, you _knew_ I was corresponding with Miss Darcy. I did not hide it from you."

"Oh, _Miss_ Darcy, certainly! I knew of _her_! But what of her brother? Nary a mention did you make of him and _his_ situation!"

"But why should I, Mama? I was not corresponding with _him_!"

Her mother recoiled. "Certainly not! But it would not have been so bad for you to send him greetings through his sister, inquiries as to his health and the like, to attach his interest. If only you had _told_ me I could have advised you! Five _years_, wasted!"

Mr. Bennet cleared his throat to gain his wife's attention. "Mrs. Bennet, I do not have the pleasure of understanding you. Of whom are you speaking?"

"Oh! Of Mr. Darcy, of course!"

"I am sorry to tell you that I remain unenlightened. Who is Mr. Darcy?"

"Oh, Mr. Bennet!" His wife collapsed into a chair.

"He is a friend of Mr. Bingley's, Papa, and was one his party tonight at the assembly," Jane interjected calmly.

"I see. And the brother of Lizzy's long-time correspondent Miss Darcy as well, eh, Lizzy?"

"Yes, Papa."

"Wealthy, is he?" he asked, finally beginning to be amused. "And you've kept all knowledge of him from your mother, have you?"

To his surprise, his Lizzy looked more distressed than diverted.

"She has, Mr. Bennet, she has indeed. When I think of all the time wasted-I do not know when I've ever been so ill-used!"

"I am surprised at you, Mrs. Bennet, caring at all about Mr. Darcy. Why, I had thought your hopes were all pinned on Mr. Bingley."

"Mr. Bingley is all very well, he will certainly do for one of our girls, but Mr. Darcy has _ten thousand_ a year! Why, Mr. Bingley's wealth is as nothing compared to his! And just _think_- if Lizzy had done as she ought, she could have been married to Mr. Darcy _years_ ago, or at least met him again, and that would have thrown our girls into the paths of other rich men."

This bit of nonsense silenced him for a moment. "The dexterity of your mind never ceases to amaze me, my dear."

"But, Mr. Bennet!"

"No more, Mrs. Bennet, I beg you." He wished he was already safely in his bed. He looked at his daughters, the two eldest visibly distressed, the middle's attention turned inward, and the two youngest giggling and whispering. "This has been quite enough for one evening, I think. Good night. Off to bed with you!"

* * *

Elizabeth sat at her dressing table in her nightclothes, idly brushing her hair. What an evening of mixed emotions- the assembly had been all pleasure; the return home had been all discomfort. Though she was sure her father would think she should, she could not find any amusement in her mother's outrage. Not for the first time, she wished that her mother did not so blatantly display her lack of sense. She was grateful, at least, that she had waited until they were in the carriage to begin berating her.

Her musings were interrupted by a quiet rap on her door. Jane poked her head around, asking quietly, "Lizzy, are you still awake?"

"Of course- come in, Jane."

"I thought you would not be asleep yet." She settled gracefully onto the end of Lizzy's bed in a cloud of muslin. "How are you? I am so sorry I could not distract Mama in the carriage."

Lizzy laughed. "Dearest Jane, only you would feel badly for failing such an impossible task. I am perfectly fine. And dear Mama, though she did vex me she had the right of it. I _did_ hide Georgiana's situation from her, and the existence of her brother, and gladly, too! I cannot regret it. Whatever discomfort I felt tonight is more than made up by avoiding years of Mama's _advising _me of greetings I could send through Georgiana to her brother." She shuddered dramatically.

"But, Lizzy- I fear I am also to blame, and I have received none of it. You look surprised- I also knew that they were wealthy. You never said as much, but Miss Darcy's clothing that day we met her was so fine, and from what you've mentioned of their home it must be quite a large property. And then there was that one letter that arrived franked by an Earl-"

"Yes," her sister admitted sheepishly, "that is their uncle."

"Their uncle! Lizzy!"

"Oh, enough giggling at me, Jane! Let us talk about Mr. Bingley instead." Lizzy laughed as her sister immediately blushed, then continued in a mock-serious tone, "He seems like a very pleasant young man- did you like him?"

"I did like him, very much. He is just what a young man ought to be, sensible, good humored, lively; and I never saw such happy manners! So much ease, with such perfect good breeding!''

"He is also handsome," replied Elizabeth, "which a young man ought to be, if he possibly can. His character is thereby complete. He certainly is very agreeable, and I give you leave to like him. You have liked many a stupider person."

"Dear Lizzy!''

"Indeed you have, Jane! Why, think of-"

"Yes, I know, you think I like people too easily. But I wouldn't want to be too hasty in censuring anyone."

"I would prefer to be too hasty than too late, but I have not your good nature."

"Oh! enough teasing me. Let us instead talk of Mr. Darcy—he paid you a great deal of attention, Lizzy."

"And you, Jane," her sister said lightly. "I imagine he was pleased to find acquaintances in the room. His sister has told me that he dislikes being in a large group of strangers."

"I suppose that could be why. I am surprised that Miss Darcy did not mention that her brother was coming into Hertfordshire. Not that he would have sought us out, but the possibility did exist that our paths would cross."

"Yes, I am surprised as well. In fact, I had mentioned Mr. Bingley's arrival in my last to her, so she certainly must have known that we would meet again." Lizzy laughed, "She's very sly."

* * *

**A/N: There you have it. :) I'll be traveling most of next week and while I'll have computer access it will be a hectic trip. I'll do my best to post the next chapter by next Saturday at the latest. Thanks for reading!**


	5. 22 and 24 October 1811

**A/N: I am _so_ sorry that I am so late in posting this! I wasn't able to write at all while I was away, and after I got home I spent the first two days of my writing time looking at the chronologies (Ellen Moody's and the one from pemberley dot com, if you're interested) and plotting out the dates/events for the rest of the story. Then the next day I woke up thinking about an entirely different story, and it is no exaggeration to say that it wouldn't let go of me. I got the thing written and posted and I'm happy with it, but good grief it was a weird experience! Then when I was able to get back to this chapter, it proceeded to give me grief and even though it was partially written it took forever to flesh out and tie together. I'm still not entirely pleased with it, to be honest. Anyway, here it is and I hope you enjoy it. :)**

* * *

_22 October 1811_

Within a short walk of Longbourne lived the Lucas family, with whom the Bennets were particularly intimate. That the Miss Lucases and the Miss Bennets should meet to talk over a ball was absolutely necessary, and the morning after the assembly brought the former to Longbourne. After an hour's lively conversation and reminiscence, frequently punctuated by Mrs. Bennet's restrained gloating and the younger girls' unrestrained giggling, the Lucases stood to head for home.

"Charlotte," Elizabeth said quickly to the eldest Miss Lucas, "allow me to walk back with you." She took her by the arm and, pausing only for her hat, gloves, and spencer in the entryway, set a rapid pace out the door.

Miss Lucas looked surprised, but said nothing until they had pulled well ahead of her family. "Eliza? Is something the matter?"

Her friend heaved a sigh, and then laughed. "Forgive me, Charlotte. I did not mean to walk so quickly. I fear my mother has been a bit…difficult since last evening and my only thought was escape."

"Difficult? But why? Surely she was pleased with the attentions Mr. Darcy paid you at the assembly?"

"Perhaps she was—but whatever pleasure she felt in the event was overpowered by her displeasure in not knowing of his existence prior to meeting him yesterday. And as his attentions were not remarkable—"

"Not remarkable! Eliza, you must be joking."

"Indeed, I am not! He is a reserved man, Charlotte. His sister has told me how he dislikes being in a room full of strangers; he was pleased to find acquaintances in the room. That is all."

Charlotte said slowly, "I do not know if I can agree with you. I am sure he _was_ pleased to find he had acquaintances present, if what you say is true, but while he was perfectly civil to everyone his demeanor whilst in your company was different. He seemed more…comfortable. If you had not told me otherwise, I would have expected you to be better acquainted than you are."

Elizabeth said dismissively, "I am sure he has occasionally heard of me through his sister over the years. Perhaps that accounts for his greater comfort, if indeed he does feel so in my company."

"Perhaps," Charlotte agreed reluctantly. There was no time to say more as some of her younger siblings had run forward to join them.

Elizabeth took her leave of her friend when they reached the gates of Lucas Lodge. As the day was beautiful and she was in no hurry to return home, she decided to take a circuitous route. She had been walking for some time when she heard the beat of hooves on the lane behind her, and moved automatically to the grassy edge. She glanced up as the horse began to pass her, and was surprised when the rider stopped and dismounted.

"Miss Bennet, well met." He bowed, and she curtsied, surprised. "You are returning home? May I escort you?"

"Certainly, Mr. Darcy, I thank you. You have indeed found me returning home, from Lucas Lodge."

"Lucas Lodge? I must admit, I am not completely familiar with the neighborhood as of yet, but I did not think Lucas Lodge was in this direction."

She flushed. "Well, no, it isn't. It is so lovely out I decided on a rather meandering route home. It is a beautiful day, is it not?"

"Indeed it is. Very pleasant for this time of year. I suppose I should not be surprised to find you so far out of your way—Georgiana has mentioned how very fond you are of walking."

"Yes, I am. And how is Georgiana?" Elizabeth gladly seized the opportunity to change the subject. "It has been over a week since my last letter from her."

"Her last letter to me was not much more recent than yours, but to the best of my knowledge she is well." He smiled. "You will be able to see her soon; I wrote this morning conveying Mr. Bingley's invitation for herself and her companion, Mrs. Annesley, to stay with us at Netherfield."

"How wonderful! It will be delightful to see her again. I, also, wrote to her this morning, as in her last she requested me to send her an accounting of last evening's assembly ball." She slanted an amused look up at his startled expression.

"She what? She…" He shook his head, chagrined. "She has been having far too much fun at our expense. I must apologize."

Elizabeth laughed. "No, indeed, _you_ owe me no apology! We will allow _her_ to apologize to each of us when she arrives."

His laugh sounded as though it was surprised out of him. "Very well, then." They walked quietly for a moment, then he said, "I am pleased to have the opportunity to speak to you alone, as for some time I have been wanting to thank you. Had it not been for your advice to her in the summer, I fear Georgie would now be married to the worst villain I have ever known."

"Oh! I did nothing worthy of gratitude."

"I cannot agree; I do not think I can thank you enough. When I consider what may have happened, and know that I would not have been able to save her, I…" his voice trailed off. "I really do not think the words exist to describe how I feel."

"She may have refused him even without my advice—she has plenty of good sense of her own. And if not, you would have rescued her, I feel sure."

"If I had, it would have been by the merest chance. I had no idea he was even _in_ Ramsgate, much less what he was attempting to do." He paused. "I truly do not mean to denigrate her sense, merely to say that she is very young and he can be very _charming_." His tone twisted the word into an insult. "I fear for any young lady, with sense or without, in his company."

"I will admit I was very frightened for her," Elizabeth said quietly. "I did not hear from her again for well over a week and I did not know what she had chosen to do. I did not even know if my letter had arrived in time to be of any use. She was there so unprotected, her companion so _obviously_ colluding with that man… I was so relieved when I heard from her, to know that she was safe." She looked over at him, smiling slightly, and was taken aback by the look on his face.

"You must think I am a terrible brother," he said slowly, "but I assure you that I did thoroughly check Mrs. Younge's references and she appeared to be an excellent choice."

"Mr. Darcy, I beg your pardon if you thought I was in some way condemning you! I assure you I was not. The blame lies with others, not you."

He relied flatly, "She is my responsibility, and I failed her."

"That is not true. I know from her letters that you always try to do what is best for her. You must learn some of my philosophy—think only of the past as its remembrance gives you pleasure. The only benefit to remembering unpleasant things is to learn from them, yet what is there to be learned of this? Nothing, except that there are villains in the world seeking to take advantage of us, which I am sure you already knew. There is no point in dwelling on it." He was silent and she stared down at her hands, clasped in front of her. After another moment of silence she said in a small voice, "I am sorry if I have overstepped."

"No, you haven't." His voice was very quiet. "I thank you, Miss Bennet." They walked in silence for a few minutes more before he said, apropos of nothing, "I am sorry we never invited you to stay with us at Pemberley."

"I did not expect it," she replied, surprised. "There was no reason why you should have done."

"No reason except that you are the best friend to Georgiana that she has ever had. She would have greatly enjoyed your visit. You are like a sister," he paused, "to her."

Elizabeth was startled, and unsure what to say. Why did he feel it necessary to clarify his statement in that way? She forced a smile. "Dear Georgiana," she replied.

She was inexplicably relieved to see Longbourne's drive ahead of them.

* * *

_24 October 1811_

Georgiana sat in the blue sitting room in the London house, and shifted in her seat, sighing. Surely the post usually arrived before this time? She tried to focus on the embroidery in her hands, and realized she had stitched beyond where she had meant to. She sighed again, and began to pull the threads out.

The gentle voice of her companion interrupted her. "Miss Darcy, is there something the matter?"

"Oh! no. I am perfectly fine, thank you." She focused more intently on her embroidery, only to ruin the effect when her head snapped up to look at the opening door. She immediately looked back down, pretending unconcern, but peeked out of the corner of her eye as the footman walked up to Mrs. Annesley and handed her a small stack of letters.

"Ah, thank you." She looked through them. "Here, Miss Darcy, there are two letters for you."

Georgiana did her best to take them with a nonchalant air, but as she saw Mrs. Annesley's lips twitch trying to hold back a smile she could only assume she failed. Oh well. She looked at her letters; _finally_, one from Elizabeth and one from her brother. She decided to read her friend's first.

_My dearest Georgiana,_

_As promised, I am writing with my impressions of the assembly ball in Meryton. The arrival of Mr. Bingley, whom you may remember I mentioned to you before, and his party naturally created quite a stir, as any group of newcomers will do entering into such an unvarying society as ours. You may imagine my surprise when I saw that your brother was a member of the party! The expression on my face, dear Georgiana, must have been quite amusing, but it was as nothing to your brother's. The poor man looked so startled, but you will be happy to hear that he was able to rally himself admirably and soon looked very amused-I am sure at your mischievousness! Since your purpose in concealing our presence in the same part of the country can only have been to precipitate such an entertaining scene it is truly unfortunate that you were unable to witness it—I am sure it was quite diverting. I hope that my account of it in some way makes up for your absence…  
_

She giggled and decided she would finish it later, dropping it in her lap to open her brother's bulkier letter. Wait, there was a second letter inside. "Oh! Mrs. Annesley, my brother has enclosed this for you." She passed it to her and then eagerly began reading her own.

_My dear sister,_

_I trust that this finds you well. I am well settled in with Bingley. I am continuing to help him as best I may with his new-found enthusiasm for learning land management. The estate is fortunately a decent piece of property, and we will spend some time with his steward and in his books over the next several days. He is also eager to meet as many of his new neighbors as he can, as, knowing him, I am sure you can imagine. Last evening we attended an assembly in Meryton, a town near here. How surprised I was to see Miss Bennet and Miss Elizabeth. I am sure I looked a perfect idiot. As I doubt that you are surprised, I cannot understand why you did not tell me that we would be in the same area. Since I cannot scold you so well as I should like by letter I fear that you will need to come here..._

Georgiana let out a small squeal, and clapped her hand over her mouth to silence it. She looked at Mrs. Annesley to see her smiling at her.

"Well, my dear, it seems that we are to go away."

"When?" Georgiana asked a bit breathlessly.

"Next week surely; perhaps next Wednesday? Your brother tells me that we shall be going directly from Hertfordshire to Pemberley, so we will need to close this house for the winter before we can leave." She looked at Georgiana's crestfallen expression and continued kindly, "Come, Miss Darcy, it will be excellent practice for you, and we shall be so busy the time will pass before you know it."

Georgiana got up to follow her companion from the room. Fitzwilliam no longer needed to scold her—making her delay her departure was punishment enough.

She wondered if he knew it.

* * *

**A/N: The day Georgiana gets the letters is a Thursday, in case you were wondering, so she has to wait six days, poor thing. I haven't decided if Darcy thought it would be a good punishment for her to wait or if he just wanted her to have the experience of closing the house- what do you think? I expect that there will be three more chapters after this one, and I hope to post once or twice a week until it is finished. Of the chapters that are left I have the least written on the next one, so it probably won't be up until next week. Thanks for reading!  
**


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